Scent hound Medium size 16-24 kg

Bosnian Rough Haired Hound

A hardy Balkan hunting hound with a shaggy coat - even-tempered and healthy, but the stamina and nose suit active or working homes best.

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Find out how this breed matches your household

Quick overview

Medium
Size
16-24 kg, 46-56 cm tall
High
Activity
Working hound; needs long daily exercise
Moderate
Alone-time tolerance
Manages with routine and enough activity
Moderate
Trainability
Independent but cooperative with patience
Low
Coat care
Harsh coat; occasional brushing and stripping
Good
Fit with kids
Even-tempered with children
Moderate
Other pets
Prey drive; supervise with small pets
Light
Health burden
Generally hardy hunting breed

The Bosnian Rough Haired Hound typically weighs 16-24 kg, stands 46-56 cm, and lives 12-14 years.

Consider this breed if…

you hunt or spend hours outdoors in rough terrain and weather,
you want a robust, unexaggerated dog with few health complaints,
you have a securely fenced rural property,
a steady, even-tempered hound around the family appeals to you.

Do not consider this breed if…

you live in an apartment or a dense neighborhood - the hound voice carries,
reliable off-leash walking is a requirement,
small pets share the household,
you need an established US breeder network - it barely exists.

A typical day with a Bosnian Rough Haired Hound

  1. 6:30 · Morning
    Long walk or fieldwork over rough ground
  2. 9:30 · Midmorning
    Rests calmly once exercised
  3. 13:00 · Noon
    Yard patrol, nose reading the news
  4. 16:30 · Afternoon
    Tracking exercise or long-line hike
  5. 19:00 · Evening
    Quiet, steady presence with the family
  6. 22:00 · Night
    Weatherproof sleeper, indoors or out

Temperament and training

Scent drive Very high
Stamina High
Steadiness High
Independence High
Vocality High
Guarding tendency Moderate
Common owner mistakes
Expecting pet-dog recall from a hound bred to trail game solo · Keeping a working Balkan hound under-exercised in a suburban yard · Over-grooming the harsh coat; it is meant to stay rough and functional

Family and environment

Kids Good
Even-tempered and tolerant with family children.
Dogs Good
Pack-hunting background; generally sociable.
Cats Conditional
Possible when raised together; prey drive is real.
Apartment Unsuitable
Energy plus voice make flats a bad match.
House with a yard Conditional
Works with secure fencing and daily real exercise.
City Poor fit
A rural working hound out of its element.
Countryside Ideal
Mountain terrain and work are what it was bred for.
Health data provided by RealVetCost
Overall health burden Light

Detailed health data - inheritance, prevalence, course, and typical treatment costs - lives in a separate expert database. This is general guidance, not veterinary advice - confirm any decision with your vet.

View the full health profile
Top health concerns
Hip Dysplasia Screen breeding stock
Chronic Ear Infections Check and clean ears regularly
Dental Disease Routine dental care needed

Similar breeds - by reason

Not visually similar - similar in what they mean for you.

Neighboring rough-coated Balkan hunting hound
Istrian Coarse Haired Hound
A rugged Croatian rough-coated scenthound - hardy and even-tempered, but a determined nose and real stamina make it a working dog first.
View profile →
Fellow ex-Yugoslav scent hound, smooth-coated
Posavac Hound
A gentle, hardworking Balkan tracking hound that needs space and daily scentwork - its independence and voice suit a rural rather than urban home.
View profile →
Rough-coated Central European hunting all-rounder
Slovakian Rough-haired Pointer
A versatile wirehaired gundog that is calm at home but needs real work - a strong match for hunters and very active owners.
View profile →

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Bosnian Rough Haired Hound cost?
In the US, realistically you cannot walk out and buy one - the breed (the Barak) is kept almost entirely by hunters in Bosnia and neighboring Balkan countries. Acquiring one means contacting Balkan breed clubs and importing, with total costs typically $1,500-$3,000 including transport. Ongoing costs are modest for a hardy medium dog - roughly $12,000-$16,000 over 12-14 years.
What is a Barak?
Barak is the breed's everyday name at home in Bosnia - an old rough-coated scent hound used for hare, fox and wild boar, recognized by the FCI as the Bosnian Broken-haired Hound. Outside the Balkans it is virtually unknown, and most written information about it is thin, so treat detailed temperament claims online with some skepticism.
Is it a good family dog?
For a rural, outdoorsy family, yes - the breed has a reputation for a steady, good-natured temperament at home. But it remains a working pack hound: it needs serious daily exercise, a secure fence, and tolerance for baying. In a suburban pet-only setting, its needs go unmet and its virtues go to waste.
How much grooming does the rough coat need?
Little. The harsh, weatherproof coat mostly needs weekly brushing to pull out dead hair and a check for burrs and ticks after fieldwork. It is a functional coat, not a styled one - no clipping, no elaborate trims, just occasional tidying and routine ear care.